MG Group has launched the Starz, a new intercity coach that sits squarely between its popular Glider range and its super-premium Tigra coach — filling a gap the market itself had been asking for.
The story begins eight years ago, when the company introduced the Glider range and quietly changed what intercity bus travel looked like in India. Sleeper, seater-sleeper, and seater variants found strong acceptance across routes, and the Glider became the preferred choice for a large section of intercity travellers. Then, in July last year, the company raised the bar further with the Tigra — a super-premium coach that set a new benchmark for luxury on the road. However, “customers wanted something in between. Better than a Glider, without the price of a Tigra. The Starz is that answer,” Mr. Sivakumar. V, President – Strategy & Sales, MG Group, said.
At its core, the Starz takes everything that made the Glider work and elevates it. The fascia has been redesigned with a more sophisticated look and improved headlamps. The interior aesthetics have been upgraded with better colour themes and a stronger sense of elegance. Headroom for passengers has improved. And in a thoughtful touch aimed at driver wellbeing — an often-overlooked consideration, the company has designed a free-airflow duct on the roof with filters and controlled blowers to ensure adequate air circulation for the driver, particularly important on front-engine platforms where cabin ventilation has traditionally been a challenge.
Safety is built in at every level, he said adding that the Starz complies fully with AIS 153 regulations, rollover standards, frontal collision requirements, and dimensional norms. Fire detection and suppression systems are fitted in sleeper variants, and fire alarm and protection systems in seater-sleeper coaches. The structure has been reinforced at the front while crumple zones have been carefully designed to absorb impact without transferring force to passengers. All materials used meet the prescribed flame-retardant standards, he explained.
“Beyond safety, the company’s engineering philosophy is centred on efficiency. Lightweight materials are used wherever safety standards allow, resulting in a coach that delivers better fuel efficiency and reduced tyre wear compared to heavier equivalents on similar routes — a claim backed by feedback from operators running MG coaches alongside competing products on the same routes. For fleet operators, this translates directly into a lower cost per kilometre and better operating economics over the life of the vehicle,” he highlighted.
Broader Shift
According to Mr. Sivakumar, the launch of the Starz also reflects a broader shift in the intercity bus market. Improving road infrastructure, a growing preference for road travel even among those who might otherwise choose a car, and an influx of younger entrepreneurs — including engineers and technology professionals — entering bus operations as startup ventures, are all reshaping the industry. It is catering to both the established, decades-old operators who have built the industry and the newer generation bringing fresh ideas and digital sensibilities to bus operations.”
For MG, the expo was the natural platform to introduce the Starz. The company has been an active participant since the first edition and sees the exhibition as the most important congregation in the intercity bus industry. Coming with something new for every edition is, as Mr. Sivakumar puts it, not just a tradition — it is a commitment to the industry it has helped shape.